Gauge cleaning device



W. B. HENDREY GAUGE CLEANING DEVICE Filed 001:. 6, 1957 June 25, 1940.

INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY FIG.3.

Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAUGE CLEANING nnvrcr:

Waldersee B. Hendrcy, Beacon, N. Y., assignor to The Texas Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 6, 1937, Serial No. 167,535 2 Claims. (01. 73-324) This invention relates to the cleaning of meas- Figure 2 is a sectional viewv taken on line 2-2 uring instruments such as gauge glasses having of Figure 1, and Y observation windows of glass or other transparent Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showmaterial, and more particularly to the cleaning ing. a gauge having glasses at opposite sides 5 of the rear or inner surfaces of such observathereof. 5 tion windows. The principal object of the inven- Referring to the drawing, a liquid level gauge tion is the provision of a cleaning device which of the Jerguson or flat plate type is shown in will not necessitate any outside connections or Figures 1 and 2, this gauge comprising a housing openings such as packing glands or stufiing boxes III to the upper and lower ends of which pipes in the housing of the instrument and which for l2 are connected, these pipes leading to the ves- 10 this reason will not increase the danger of leaksel containing the liquid, the level of which is to age of any fluid which might be contained in the be measured. A glass plate l4 forms an observainstrument. tion window and closes the front face or side of There are many instances where it is desirable the housing. The glass plate is held in place by 13 that the interior of a measuring device such as a means of a frame It secured to the housing by l gauge glass be kept clean, for example, when obmeans of suitable bolts l8 and a gasket is serving a dark colored fluid through a glass in preferably disposed between the housing and the determining the line of demarcation between the frame. The housing l0 a the plate I4 thus raffinate and solvent-oil and the extract and solf rm a chamber 22 adapted to contain the liq- 20 vent-oil in solvent refining processes. Dimculty uid to be observed through the glass plate. A 20 has frequently been encountered due to the deppi ce of Wire 24 is secured to the upper and osition on the interior of the glass of the dark lower ends of the housing H) in position such colored constituents of the liquid. as to be slightly to the rear of the back surface Other devices for cleaning gauge glasses have of the plate l4 when the latter is in position.

5 proved unsatisfactory for various reasons, In The wire 24 serves as a guide for a slidable brush 25 those cases where a scraper or brush is manipu- Sc p 6, t e sfiraper being provided with lated within the gauge by means of a rod or an opening 28 through which the wire 24 passes wire attached to the brush and passing outwardly and positioned so th the Scrap r can be moved of the gauge housing, stufling boxes or packing longitudinally of the chamber 22 while remainin 30 glands are necessary and these inc as th lik in contact with the back or inner surface of the 30 lihood of leakage which would be especially lass plate H. The scraper 28 may be provided dangerous when inflammable liquids under high with sharpened edges 30 where it contacts the pressures are being gauged. Those types in glass plate so that it can more readily remove which a scraper or brush is moved through the ny deposits which may adhere to the plate.

interior of the glass housing by means of fluid The scraper 26 is partly or wholly formed of pressure require additional valves and fittings iron or some other magnetic material and can and generally cannot be used without interferthus be moved along the surface of the plate l4 by ing with the operation of the system being enmeans of a magnet 32. The magnet upon being gaged, placed close to or against the front surface of the In accordance with this invention, a brush or ass p te wi attract the sc e 2 and 40 scraper formed partly, at least, of iron or some when the magnet is moved up and down along other magnetic material is disposed within the e P te e Sc aper W ll follow and in so gauge so that it can be moved along the i r doing will clean the inner or rear surface of the surface of the glass observation window by means plate. Although the magnet 32 is illustrated of a magnet movable manually or otherwise as being of the permanent type, an electro-mag- 45 along the outer surface of the glass. No actuatnet can also be used, the operation being the ing wires or rods with attendant stufiing boxes me as that a e y desc bed.

or packing glands are necessary and the wiper In Figure 3 a double or two sided gauge is can obviously be manipulated without interfershown, this gauge being provided with two oppoing in any way with the liquid in the glass. sitely disposed glass plates 34 secured to a hous- 50 For a better understanding of the invention, ing member 36 by means of frames 38. In this reference may be had to the accompanying drawcase a pair of scraper members 40 are used, these ing in which members being slidably mounted on guide Wires Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a gauge 42 in the same manner as was describedwith refshowing the scraper and the actuating magnet, erence to the form shown in Figure 1. A pair of 55 magnets 44 may be used, or in case the magnets are not supported by any carrying means, one magnet would be suflicient since it can be used first on one side of the gauge and then on the other to move the respective scraper members 40.

Although the invention-has been described as applied to flat plate liquid level gauges of the Jerguson type, it will be understood that almost any type of gauge can be cleaned in the same manner, For instance, a gauge formed of a single glass tube can have disposed therein .a scraper or wiper member of a shape adapted to fit the inner surface of the tube and when the scraper is moved longitudinally of the gauge the inner surface will be cleaned in the manner described hereinbefore. Likewise, it is intended that the invention be not limited to use with liquid level gauges since many other types of gauges or instruments having an observation or window plate from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore.

only'such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1; In a measuring instrument, a housing, a

transparent window secured to one side of said housing, said housing and window forming an elongated chamber adapted to contain a substance said magnet, said last named means comprising a wire securedat its opposite ends to said housing at the rear of said window, said scraper being adapted to slide on said wire.

2. In a gauge glass, a housing, a glass window secured to one side of said housing, said, housing and glass window forming a chamber adapted to contain a liquid the level of which is to be measured, means for cleaning the inner surface of said window comprising a cleaning member containing magnetic material disposed within said chamber, means for guiding saidcleaning member so that it may have sliding movement longitudinally of the chamber and in contact with the inner surface of said glass window, and a magnet adapted to be raised and lowered along the outer surface of said window so as to cause said cleaning member to move along said guide means and in contact with theinner surface of the glass window to remove any deposits therefrom.

WALDERSEE B. HENDREY. 

